Jack Cates once again enlists the aid of ex-con Reggie Hammond – this time to take down The Iceman, a ruthless drug lord operating in the San Francisco bay area.
After the success of “48 Hrs.” in 1982, Eddie Murphy’s career skyrocketed into the stratosphere and in 1990, he, Nick Nolte, and director Walter Hill reunited for the inevitable sequel. While the movie was a commercial success, it was critically panned. Many stated it was nowhere near as good as the original and while they were right in their criticism, “Another 48 Hrs.” is still entertaining. It continues the strained relationship between grizzled cop Jack Cates (Nolte) and recently released convict Reggie Hammond (Murphy), who teamed up in the first film to track down two cop killers.
This time around, Reggie has just been released from prison when Jack unexpectedly turns up. He claims that he has been trying to track down a big drug dealer named the “Iceman” for the past four years and needs Reggie’s assistance. Now a free man, Reggie declines to help, stating he just wants the money Jack has been holding for him. Jack reveals that a group of bikers are in town and have set their sights on Reggie, with one of them being the brother of the bad guy Jack and Reggie killed in the first movie and as a result, they are now both targets. With Jack now being investigated after a botched arrest that resulted in the death of a bad guy, our two protagonists reluctantly team up again, to clear their names and kill the bikers before they eliminate them. As they inch closer to discovering the identity of the Iceman, it becomes apparent that he is someone close to Jack, a person he has trusted for many years.
While “Another 48 Hrs.” lacks the gritty realism and energy offered in the original, the movie is still fun, nonetheless. Murphy and Nolte return in top form and their constant back and forth banter and ever-changing resolve on whether or not to help each other is what elevates the film above conventionality. Director Walter Hill stages some exciting shootouts and action setpieces but it is the camaraderie between Murphy and Nolte that keeps the narrative flowing. By the end of the movie, there is nowhere left for the two men to go so the fact that there was never another entry in the series makes perfect sense but with such great writers in Hollywood, it’s interesting to think where a third film might have gone but since it has been thirty years since this movie, I doubt we will ever find the answer to that question.
Now available on Blu-ray in the Paramount Presents line
